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Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Lacking Blogspiration... And What To Do About It

I just... Haven't been feeling blogging lately.

I read lots of blogs. They're full of tips and tricks to grow your blog, monetize your blog, be the best blog. They review the same products, vying for the next company to send them their product first. They offer beauty tips. They post about using social media, touting, "be engaged, engaged, engaged to gain followers!" They tell you your pics better be "Pinterest worthy" or your wasting your time. Fashion bloggers post about the latest trends with photo shoots they clearly had help with and Photoshopped.

All of that is great. But I don't have time for it.

I've found myself recently really struggling to blog. I look at other bloggers and WISH I could be like them - with their beautiful pictures and great design. I see bloggers who have some really great content, and some who have tons of sponsored stuff and are likely making decent money blogging.

This got me thinking: What can I do to re-engage myself with my blog, accepting the fact that I'm not in the place in my life to be a "pro" with beautiful pictures and fancy, sponsored content? How can I make this the best space for my readers?

I've decided on a few things:

- I may only have my iPhone for pics, but I can still work quickly in Photoshop (or PicMonkey) to adjust them and make them the best iPhone photos they can be. Someday I'll get a DSLR and learn more about photography... Until then, I'll just do the best I can. If it's not "pin-able" then that's how it is.

- I don't have InDesign nor the time to devote to re-vamping the look of this blog, but I can hire it out to someone who can! I'm going to start work with a designer I found on Etsy to "up" the look of An Uncomplicated Life Blog. I'm pretty excited about this!

- I'm going to stay true to my voice and my life, as this is a lifestyle blog. I do get some product review offers from companies, but those are never my most popular posts anyway. And frankly, I'm sick of reading them on other blogs, so why would I write about stuff I don't want to read?! I'm going to write more in my true style and tone... Just about life. It's ok that I'm not a beauty blogger and it's ok that I'm not a fashion blogger. Hell, most the time I'm sitting here makeup free and bra-less. That's how I blog.

Basically, I've decided to stop reading all the incessant "be a better blogger!" posts and just accept who I am, how I fit into the blogging space, and enjoying interacting with my current readers. This isn't a competition. It's just a blog!

Have you ever lost "blogspiration"? What did you do about it? Have you ever felt like your blog wasn't good enough to compete in the blogosphere?

Your new blog design is beautiful! I know you had a similar post a while back... I'm just now catching up to you with sharing the same feelings! I'll get to where I want to be, eventually. Until then, carry on! Right?

Love your thoughts on this, blogging is supposed to be fun and reading blogs is also supposed to be fun! I'll all about making new friends and having an online blogging community has really helped me connect with others :) Keeping being you girl!

Exactly! Meeting new people through blogging has been the best. I'm just competitive by nature, and when I see a great blogger with great content and pics, I get concerned that mine could be a whole lot better.

AGREED! I love to blog and I try to make my blog a place that I like. Sometimes that means decent photos and sometimes that means grainy iPhone pics. I write about what I'm interested in because those are the kinds of blog I love to read. Real people. I'm good with product reviews and sponsored posts, but I agree that the 'real' content should be the meat of the blog and sometimes it's just not. I get it. People want to make money, but that doesn't mean we all have to strive for that. Re: your Etsy designer. That's why I did and I love it.

I've heard so many great things about designing with an Etsy designer, I can't wait! And yes yes yes - anyone who reviews stuff nonstop (even if it wasn't sent to them, maybe they're a beauty blogger reviewing nonstop makeup palettes) I tend to read less and less of. I love all your real content, so keep it coming!

Love this post girly, and excited for your new design and all that jazz.I really try and blog about what I want to blog about, although I have a post scheduled tomorrow where I was just like.. wtf is the point of blogging. I don't do giveaways anymore because they're not my style and I don't like trying or pretending to be something I'm not. Ive had some really weird companies reach out to me and I'm just like.. why the heck would I want that, or write about that? you didn't look at my blog at all. You know? And I don't have a DSLR and don't ever plan on getting one! I don't have photoshop either, and sometimes I see photoshopped pictures that are really awful and they look like a cartoon it looks so fake. Why would you want that?!

Girl, I had Depends (as in, the adult diaper) ask me to write a post about them! I was like, "Ummmm, I'm 30, so... I don't use your product. At least, not yet." And touche with the overly-edited photos! I'm cool with color correction and exposure adjustments, but that's about where I end. I'll be sure to check out your post tomorrow!

I think as bloggers we get caught up in what other bloggers are doing instead of re-embracing why we started blogging in the first place. I have to remind myself that every blogger started where we are now. The purpose is to stay inspired.

Oh girl. You don't even know. I think pre-us finding each other's blogs:) I had this. I was down, not loving blogging, thinking my blog was not enough. I considered quitting blogging. I was just not into it. Something just clicked, I revamped my blog, I all of a sudden thought of a ton to write about and have loved it for the last few months (post crisis). I think we call go through this at some point. It's so hard to not get caught up in what other bloggers are doing, how do they get so many readers and so many comments, etc. I stopped trying to be like other bloggers I admire and am being me; writing about what I want, and not so focused on a niche. Love that you are embracing what you can do now and going to put your all into that. Blogging can be so exhausting at times, but I've met so many wonderful people, including you. Excited for the new design too!!

You just put the biggest smile on my face! And I totally agree, we're working in a culture of "number of likes" and "how many followers" and if we get really wrapped up in that garbage, all we produce as bloggers is garbage.

Yes I have definitely lack blogspiration before! I think it's tough with blogging cause it's easy to compare ourselves and to have expectations that are hard to meet. But I like your first point, work with what you have and you're point about reviews. I also hate reading product reviews. I think I've done two in the year I've been blogging and they are never initiated by companies. They are because I love the products. For the most part I really avoid reading them so why put them up? I think at the end of the day it should be about content. And honestly, who has three hours a day to engage online the way we're "suppose" to in order to grow our blogs!

Ok, you and I can unite on disliking product reviews! It's true, I don't think I've ever seen one on your blog before... And I regularly stop by your blog because I love what you post! Social media can be fun, but dang if it isn't time consuming and I feel like you also have to watch out to prevent yourself from becoming too consumed with it. "Online" crap isn't living life! Get out there, put your phone down and do stuff.

I am right there with you with the whole I'm a lifestyle blogger so that is what I'll talk about. I honestly want to know where everyone gets the hookups from. I'm like sooooo yeahhhh I'll take some clothes thank you very much. Seriously though as I write with no bra on anymore and stretch pants I love your posts about life because you are funny and see the humor in the every day ins and outs of this crazy ass life. You are a daily stop for me!

Yeah, where are all these people getting these sponsored post ideas from?! Also, I'm not a fan of them, so when/if I do get them, I'm going to need to be really mindful of how my peeps will take it. Thanks girl! You already know I love you xoxo

I know you say you're not really feeling blogging right now but I think that's when the best posts come out sometimes. Loving your honesty in this post! I completely agree about the reviews - I skip them 99% of the time so what would be the point of me doing a sponsored post? Like you, I try to keep my blog to things I would like or want to read. Obviously sometimes I post things I know most people won't care about, because first and foremost my blog is a way for me to document different aspects of my life, but for the most part I try to just do me and post what I like. I don't have thousands of page views or hundreds of followers but I love the ones I have and wouldn't want to trade that by posting more superficial things.I think you'll feel way better with a new design! It's kind of like getting your hair done or something haha. A couple months ago I felt the same way as you so I totally redid my design and made a commitment to just do me and I felt so much better!

Ohhh, that's right! I remember when you got your new design. Your site looks SO good! I'm pretty pumped for mine. I agree, sponsored posts (especially when the blogger just says at the outset that blah blah post is sponsored by ______) I just click away immediately, even if I really like the blogger. Can we all just agree to ditch the sponsored posts now, lol?!

I think this hits home for a lot of us and it get's hard to come up with new content, make it engaging blah blah!! I think getting a new layout will definitely re-inspire you - I used a girl from etsy and she was great! Happy to give you her name if you like and it was really affordable!

Yeah, it's like blogging has become so involved! Great content, a designed site, social media, networking, reading/commenting on others, advertising your blog, getting advertisers... Yikes! And YES, I would love her name! I'm deliberating between a few right now, but if you really like someone, I want to know about it! You have my email, yeah?

I think we all have our days or even weeks where we may lose some inspiration and get a sort of writers block. It's always a struggle finding the perfect direction to take your blog while also keeping your voice and not getting bogging down your content with sponsored stuff.

It's true, there's so much to consider as you plan out your posts. And have you ever had someone post essentially the same content as you within the same week? You think your idea is so great and original, and then a few days later you see the same concept on someone else's blog... Grrrr! Not so original.

What a great blog post!!!! I agree we must stop comparing and just enjoy the journey!!! I'm in a genre all my own and you know what, I dont mind. Some people may like my inspirational post, some may like my beauty post either way Im going to do post that I love and if I just get 10 views on it I'll be one heck of a happy girl! Their definitely is a lot more post talking about being a better blogger but being a better blogger comes from the inside. Once you love your own work and stop comparing yourself to others then you will be a great blogger! Other people will see your passion and the rest is history :)

I feel the same way, especially when I'm reading other blogs and thinking "She is a genius, and mine will never look that good." I try to remember that I have a unique voice and that blogging should be fun above all else. :)

I feel you on this one! Right now my life is pretty crazy with planning my wedding, working part-time, house hunting, and trying to turn the blog into a full-time thing. Sometimes I have so many "side" things to do for the blog like updating stuff on my site, promoting posts, etc. that I don't have enough time to actually write! I keep getting behind on posts because I'm not planning ahead enough. I need to find some new inspiration!

Hey, I'm Paige

Yoga junkie, top-knot connoisseur and health nut who doesn't shy away from a good IPA and a cheeseburger

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